With Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell banged up, the Indiana Pacers have announced that they are signing guard Cam Payne to a deal. Payne, who was there for the beginnings of the Bucks-Pacers rivalry on Milwaukee's side in 2023-24, will now be on the other end of things. He will undoubtedly be on the hunt for revenge against his former team if he's fortunate enough to make the roster.
Cam Payne is back in the Central Division, but not with the Bucks
Payne played in four games against the Pacers as a Milwaukee Buck to open the 2023-24 campaign. He saw all of the chippy behavior and how intense things got between these two squads. That didn't go away when he joined the New York Knicks last season, eventually meeting up with the Pacers in the NBA Playoffs. Now, he's joining them.
It must be noted that Payne is on a camp deal. If he wants to stick around, he will have to prove that he is worth the investment. He has a good shot to do so. Though it looked like his NBA career might be put on pause after little to no interest in him came about this summer, he is a solid rotation player.
The point guard-hungry Pacers are a good fit for Payne. They were already in the market for help at point guard due to Tyrese Haliburton's injury, but McConnell being out only intensifies it. Indiana has done plenty of due diligence this summer, eyeing players like Monte Morris and Delon Wright, also a former Milwaukee Buck who participated in this rivalry very briefly.
Wright, who was traded away from Milwaukee last season, had been competing for a spot in Indiana's backcourt but was let go following a recent game in the preseason, where he was injured.
Outside of Russell Westbrook, the former MVP who surprisingly remains unsigned, Payne might be the most recognizable point guard left in the free agent pool. He's become a journeyman at this point, but he's a good one. He's proven that he can be a reliable sparkplug off the bench. Every so often, he is good for a game where he pops off and helps propel his team to victory.
Payne being in the Central Division seems like it's where he belongs. Following the move to Indiana, he's now played for every single squad in the division outside of the Detroit Pistons.
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